Sole structure for article of footwear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12185789-B2
Application number	US-202016999839-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2020
Priority date	Aug 23, 2019
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a first plate extending from a forefoot region of the sole structure to a heel region of the sole structure. The first plate has a first surface and a second surface formed on an opposite side of the first plate than the first surface. The sole structure further includes a second plate extending from the forefoot region to the heel region. The second plate has a third surface opposing the second surface of the first plate and a fourth surface disposed on an opposite side of the second plate than the third surface. The third surface is spaced apart from the second surface to define a cavity between the first plate and the second plate that extends from a medial side of the sole structure to a lateral side of the sole structure between the forefoot region and the heel region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sole structure for an article of footwear including an upper, the sole structure comprising:
a first plate extending from a forefoot region of the sole structure to a heel region of the sole structure, the first plate including a first surface opposing and directly attached to the upper and a second surface formed on an opposite side of the first plate than the first surface, wherein the first plate includes a first thickness in the forefoot region and the first plate includes a second thickness in a mid-foot region of the sole structure;
a second plate extending from the forefoot region of the sole structure to the heel region of the sole structure and including a third surface opposing the second surface of the first plate and a fourth surface disposed on an opposite side of the second plate than the third surface, the third surface being spaced apart from the second surface to define a cavity between the first plate and the second plate that extends from a medial side of the sole structure to a lateral side of the sole structure between the forefoot region and the heel region, wherein the fourth surface of the second plate is a ground-engaging surface;
a heel pad extending from a first terminal end disposed in a mid-foot region of the sole structure to a second terminal end disposed in the heel region of the sole structure, the heel pad connecting the first plate and the second plate in the mid-foot region such that the second plate is directly supported in the mid-foot region, wherein a portion of the heel pad extends along an outer side surface of the upper;
a first cushion, having a rectangular shape, extending in a direction from the forefoot region to the heel region, wherein a widest part of the first cushion has a first width; and
a second cushion, having a rectangular shape, extending the direction from the forefoot region to the heel region, wherein a widest part of the second cushion has a second width different than the first width.

2. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first cushion is disposed between the first plate and the second plate in the forefoot region.

3. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein the first cushion is attached to the second surface of the first plate and is attached to the third surface of the second plate.

4. The sole structure of claim 2 , wherein the first cushion is a fluid-filled bladder.

5. The sole structure of claim 4 , wherein the second cushion is disposed between the first plate and the second plate.

6. The sole structure of claim 5 , wherein the heel pad is disposed between the first cushion and a posterior end of the sole structure.

7. The sole structure of claim 5 , further including:
a forefoot pad disposed within the forefoot region, the forefoot pad disposed anterior to both the first cushion and the second cushion.

8. The sole structure of claim 5 , wherein the second cushion is a fluid-filled bladder, each of the first cushion and the second cushion comprising a first barrier layer and a second barrier layer, and wherein the first cushion and the second cushion are spaced apart by a longitudinally extending gap.

9. The sole structure of claim 8 , wherein the first barrier layer is directly attached to the second surface of the first plate and the second barrier layer is directly attached to the third surface of the second plate.

10. The sole structure of claim 4 , wherein the heel pad extends continuously from a first end adjacent to an end of the first cushion in the mid-foot region to a second end disposed at a posterior end of the sole structure.

11. An article of footwear comprising the sole structure of claim 1 .

12. The sole structure of claim 1 , wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness.

13. The sole structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third cushion disposed between the first plate and the second plate and anterior to the first cushion and the second cushion,
wherein the third cushion is separated from the first cushion and the second cushion by a gap, the gap extending continuously across a width of the sole structure within the forefoot region.

14. A sole structure for an article of footwear including an upper, the sole structure comprising: a first plate continuously extending from an anterior end at a forwardmost portion of the sole structure to a posterior end at a rearmost portion of the sole structure, the first plate including a first surface opposing and directly attached to the upper and a second surface formed on an opposite side of the first plate than the first surface; a second plate extending from a forefoot region of the sole structure to a heel region of the sole structure and including a third surface opposing the second surface of the first plate and a fourth surface disposed on an opposite side of the second plate than the third surface, wherein the fourth surface of the second plate is a ground-engaging surface; a first fluid-filled bladder directly attached to the second surface of the first plate and directly attached to the third surface of the second plate, wherein the first fluid-filled bladder extends from a first end to a second end, and wherein a widest part of the first fluid-filled bladder has a first width; a second fluid-filled bladder directly attached to the second surface of the first plate and directly attached to the third surface of the second plate, wherein the second fluid-filled bladder extends from a first end to a second end, and wherein a widest part of the second fluid-filled bladder has a second width different from the first width; and a heel pad extending from a first end disposed adjacent to the second end of the first fluid-filled bladder and the second end of the second fluid-filled bladder to the heel region of the sole structure, the heel pad supporting the first plate and the second plate from the first end through the heel region of the sole structure, wherein a gap is disposed between the first end of the heel pad and the second end of the first fluid-filled bladder and the second end of the second fluid-filled bladder.

15. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein the first fluid-filled bladder is fluidly isolated from the second fluid-filled bladder.

16. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein the first fluid-filled bladder is spaced apart from the second fluid-filled bladder in a direction extending between a medial side of the sole structure and a lateral side of the sole structure.

17. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first fluid-filled bladder and the second fluid-filled bladder includes a tensile member disposed therein.

18. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first fluid-filled bladder and the second fluid-filled bladder is pressurized.

19. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein the first fluid-filled bladder and the second fluid-filled bladder are disposed in a forefoot region of the sole structure.

20. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first fluid-filled bladder and the second fluid-filled bladder is visible at a medial side of the sole structure and at a lateral side of the sole structure.

21. An article of footwear comprising the sole structure of claim 14 .

22. The sole structure of claim 14 , wherein the first plate includes a first thickness in the forefoot region and a second thickness in a mid-foot region of the sole structure, and wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Greenspan Joël Ryp
• Mclachlan Oliver
• Reinhardt Stuart
• Smith Timothy J
• Yetman Krissy

Classifications

• A43B13/188

  Differential cushioning regions · CPC title

• A43B13/186

  Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot (resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32) · CPC title

• A43B13/181 Primary

  Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole · CPC title

• A43B13/127

  the midsole being multilayer · CPC title

• A43B13/20 Primary

  Pneumatic soles {filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas (inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407)} · CPC title